Unsurprisingly, Canelo Alvarez was crowned the winner after rival Avni Yildirim retired after the third round on Saturday night at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida.
He was able to maintain his middleweight WBC and WBA titles.
Alvarez was already in control of the battle before a combination of left and right allowed him to send his obligatory opponent to the mat in the third round.
Yildirim finally finished the tour, but once he reached his corner, his team made a decision to withdraw from the fight, resulting in KO’s victory. Technologist at Canelo (55-1-2, 37 K.-O.).
It was his fastest victory since May 2015 over James Kirkland in the third round.
“I wanted to fight a great battle here and did what I had to do,” said Alvarez, 30.
“I needed a knockout. That’s what I did. It doesn’t matter if they are taller, have more ability, or a good coach. I came to do my job, I came here to win.”
The Mexican fought just two months ago and defeated Callum Smith by unanimous decision to become a unified champ.
Canelo is now set to face WBO champ Billie Joe Saunders (30-0, 14 KOs) on May 8 in a venue not yet decided.
Arroyo wins the interim WBC title from the Flies
On the same card, Puerto Rican MacWilliams-Arroyo won the interim WBC title by knocking him out. Technique for Mexican rival Abraham Rodriguez.
Arroyo dominated the battle from start to finish, putting his opponent first in the fourth round, before demanding that Rodriguez’s side end the fight in the fifth round, in the face of Arroyo’s incessant strikes.
The new champion, who put Rodriguez defeating his third in his career in 30 matches, was originally scheduled to face Mexican champion Julio Cesar Martinez, but the latter announced Thursday that he would not be able to defend his title. Small fracture of the right hand.
Emily Thompson is a contributor at Vaughantoday.ca, covering a wide range of topics including local news, politics, business, technology, sports, entertainment, and lifestyle. She focuses on clear, accurate reporting that helps readers stay informed about current events and developments that matter to their community. Her work emphasizes useful information, balanced coverage, and stories that reflect the interests, concerns, and everyday experiences of readers across Canada.